Manufacture oe bawhxde whips



UNITED sTaTEs PATENT oEEioE.

THOMAS J. BARNES, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

MANUFACTURE 0F RAWHIDE WHIPS.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 7,542, dated August 6, 1850.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS J. BARNES, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Whips; and I do hereby declare that'the same is fully described and represented in the following specication and accompanying drawings, letters, figures, and references thereof.

Of the said drawings Figure l, denotes an external view of the portion or handle of a whip stock covered in my improved manner. Fig. 2, is a representation of a piece or strip of rawhide creased and prepared for covering the stock. Fig. 3, isan enlarged transverse section of the said strip.

A mode heretofore in use for finishing or covering whip stocks has been to wind the same with one or more strands or threads of gut or other suitable material, laid together in compact or close helices. The Turks heads or buttons as they are sometimes termed were also made of such threads or strands, woven together, and on the stock or handle in a manner well known to persons skilled in the art of making whips. Should one of the threads composing the covering of the whip handle become broken or cut, it would generally unwind, or soon become unwound from the stock, thereby seriously affecting both the appearance and durability of the whip.

As a substitute for such threads of gut or other material, I employ thin and narrow strips of raw hide, they being formed by splitting the material to the requisite thickness, and afterward creasing it by subjecting it to the action of creasing rollers, by which it is corrugated in a longitudinal direction in such manner, as to have the ap: pearance on its external surface 4of several threads of gut laid side by side, and close together, or so as to touch one another. Figs. 2, and 3, exhibit a band or strip of such material so Vcorrugated or creased.

Such bands so made are to be laid upon the whip handle, and wound thereon in a helix, and so that the edges of each two adjacent coils shall be in close contact. It is best that the material, or raw hide strip should be in a moistened or damp state when applied to the stock, as under such circumstances it will possess a pliability sufcient to enable the workman to iit it closely to the handle, and to 'bring the coils in close contact.

The Turks heads or buttons are to be woven or formed of such a strip or strips of creased raw hide, instead of several threads laid side by side as is the common practice. When the raw hide strip has become dry it will be found to have shrunk lirmly upon the whip stock, and to possess all the hardness of the cat gut, or gut thread, or whalebone thread as sometimes used', and sonearly do the corrugations or creases present the appearance of wound thread, as to often deceive an experienced eye. After the covering has become dry, it is to be varnished over, or covered on its external surface with one or more coatings of varnish. Fig. 1, exhibits a whip handle wound or covered with bands of thin raw hide, the red lines serving to show the edges of the helix coils. A whip covered with the strips of raw hide, is far more durable than o-ne covered with the threads of gut or whalebone.

What I claim as my invention is- The above described improvement in the manufacture of whips, or a whip having its external covering as well as its Turks heads or buttons made in whole or in part of corrugated strips, or bands of raw hide, laid or woven together, and on the handle or stock substantially as hereinbefore specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my signature this twenty fourth day of May A. D. 1850.

THOMAS J. BARNES.

`Witnesses:

R. H. EDDY, FRANois GOULD. 

